As I was working on a tractor on a Wednesday morning, my wife came over to tell me my mom had taken my dad to the emergency room. At 86, my dad remains spry and active, but abdominal surgery 30 years ago manifests itself occasional with gastric issues. That Wednesday was no his lucky day.

A quick ambulance ride to Riverton Regional Airport, then a 70-minute flight on a single-engine aircraft had us landing at Jefferson County Airport in Colorado. The flight nurse and EMT onboard were professional, extraordinarily competent, and reassuring during the short flight.

Medical care is evolving in America, with many smaller hospitals no longer staffing services the once provided.

People lament how Fremont County hospitals have evolved toward sending patients elsewhere, but the reality is that safe, efficient, airborne medical care are the wave of the future.